Human blood cells coaxed to produce insulin

TANTALISING experiments that seem to have made human blood cells start producing insulin have raised the prospect of a new treatment for diabetes. Although the treatment has only been tried in mice so far, it might mean people can be cured with implants of their own cells.

But even the researcher whose team carried out the work says he will remain sceptical until other groups have repeated it. "If it's true, it would be very nice, but the data is very preliminary," cautions Bernat Soria, chairman of the European Stem Cell Network.

Juvenile-onset diabetes is caused by the immune system destroying the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. It can now be treated by transplanting beta cells taken from cadavers, using a technique called the Edmonton protocol. But many recipients suffer severe side effects because of the drugs they have to take to prevent their immune systems rejecting the foreign ...

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